Boundless (Unearthly #3) By Cynthia Hand
Release Date: January 22, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Personal Copy
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / IndieBound
My rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 stars
Goodreads Summary:
The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.
Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her...even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she's headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.
As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he's not the only one... With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won't come without sacrifices and betrayal.
In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.
When I finally got this book, it felt completely bittersweet. Ever since I read Hallowed, I've been anticipating this release but once the day finally got here, I became hesitant. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Clara, Tucker, Angela, and even Christian, so I took a moment to prepare myself for the end. Now, let it be said that I started reading Boundless in ebook version, then after work I headed to Barnes & Noble to purchase the hardcover only to find out that they didn't have it stock. I even called my local indie bookstore and they didn't have it. Cue freakout. So I tried calming down, went home, ordered it online since it had to be mailed out to Stacee because she was going to a signing Cynthia Hand was a part of and continued reading it on my Nook.
I feel like I can't say much about this book without giving away spoilers, and even though the book has been out for since January, I won't go into a lot of details. Boundless picks up a few months after Hallowed when Clara is off to Stanford. There we see Clara, Angela and Christian getting accustomed to college life and trying to figure out who they are outside of being angels and following their purpose.
Now, I'm going to be very vague for a bit so forgive my fangirling. But OHMAHGAH! That whole thing with Angela? I NEVER thoughts it would happened. I'm sorry, let me reiterate, I NEVER thought it would ACTUALLY happen, because I totally saw it coming but still. Surprising! And with Jeffrey?! NOOOO! Nope, did NOT see that happening. And can I just say that I sort of felt a little bit of sympathy for Samjeeza? Because I totally did. Cynthia Hand managed to create villain, that you obviously are not "supposed" to like but she managed to make him so complex that you understand where he is coming from and so you end up feeling bad for him.
Now for the whole triangle bit, you all know that I'm a big Tucker Avery fan, right? If not, let me send you to this post. See? Tucker Avery fan here. But(!) I do have to admit that Christian is no longer on my shit list and he's really a nice guy and I hate that ended up liking him. He totally proved himself to me and Clara that he doesn't just like her because their purpose are entwined together; he really proves to her (and to readers like me) how much he likes her for her all throughout Boundless. And while I still love Tucker, I can see that Christian would be good for Clara. Cynthia Hand managed to sway me in a love triangle which has never happened before. I was even conflicted and didn't know whether or not I minded if Clara picked Christian. Ok, I would have but let's pretend I'm not that indecisive.
There's just something about Cynthia Hand's writing that I just love. She has such a simplistic, and elegant writing style that I become completely immersed in. I finished Boundless at 3am and I was completely drained. Who cared if I had to be up at 6am? I felt as I was emotionally beaten and I didn't know what to do with myself. I had finished a series that I loved and I'm sad I won't be able to read new material on it. At least I'll be able to reread whenever I want.
The only reason I'm not giving Boundless a solid five stars is because of the ending. For me, it just wrapped up too nicely and conveniently and I don't really like that.
I really enjoyed this series. And I agree, this was one triangle where I actually liked both guys (usually one is so obviously not the right guy). I thought the epilogue was a bit sad, though, with a certain person not there--"And I will get a brief sense of togetherness, of everything being how it should be, but I'll also feel an absence, like there's an empty chair at the table." So I thought for that person, we don't know that there's a happily ever after. Just my two cents--great review!
ReplyDeleteExactly! I thought that epilogue was so sad that the person wasn't there. Which is why I don't like how the ending was all nice and tidy with no mention of that person.
DeleteBut thanks so much for passing by!